Running-of-the-Bulls Festival Pamplona Spain
The Festival
Pamplona is a city in the north of Spain and home to a weeklong parade of madness. The famous “Running of the Bulls” festival takes place in July at the height of summer. The city is hot and crowded with visitors from around the world, all intent of experiencing the Spanish love of fireworks, all night partying, drinking, bull fights and the daily running of the bulls.
Some records date the festival back to the late 18 century and it has been televised live on Spanish TV for the last 30 years.
The Run
Six fighting bulls are guided by 6 steers on a run from a holding pen, Corrales de Santo Domingo to Pamplona’s Plaza de Toros, the bullfight arena. The run is a fenced off cobbled street and is 849m from start to finish. Since record-keeping began in 1910, 15 people have been killed, most of them due to being gored, so this run is not without its dangers.
The runners, most dressed in traditional white with red bandanas are excited and tense. They gather early along the run, nervously chatting. Some sit in front of the gates to the corral, wave their arms and chant.
At 8am a church bell starts to toll. The crowd quietens and holds its collective breath. After 8 dongs…
